A tribute to Athabascanelder Katie John

The Ahtna peoples have lost their matriarch and Alaska Natives have lost a strong, powerful advocate for Alaska Native rights.

Athabascan elder Katie John died in Anchorage on Friday, May 31. While Katie was 97 or 98 years old – we don’t know her age for certain because she didn’t know her birth date, only her birth season – it is very sad to see her pass. The Ahtna peoples have lost their matriarch and Alaska Natives have lost a strong, powerful advocate for Alaska Native rights. Those of us at Ecotrust who have worked with Katie for years are deeply impacted by her passing and will honor her memory and legacy.

Photo by Alaska Dispatch. To view more photos of Katie’s life, view a gallery here in the Anchorage Daily News.